Bobby Flay Chimichurri Sauce Recipe

This vibrant Bobby Flay Chimichurri Sauce is a quick and easy way to elevate any dish. Packed with fresh parsley, garlic, and a touch of smoky paprika, it’s the perfect, zesty complement to grilled meats or roasted veggies. This is a classic Argentinian-style sauce, ready in about 10 minutes, plus resting time, and is a foolproof way to add a burst of fresh flavor to your cooking.

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Bobby Flay Chimichurri Sauce Ingredients

½ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (from about 1 bunch)
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, finely minced
½ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

How To Make Bobby Flay Chimichurri Sauce

Combine Ingredients: In a small or medium-sized bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, minced garlic, sea salt, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and smoked paprika.
Add Herbs: Add the finely chopped fresh parsley to the bowl and stir until everything is well combined.
Rest and Serve: For the best flavor, let the chimichurri sauce sit at room temperature for at least 20-30 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to meld and the garlic to mellow slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or red pepper flakes if needed.

Recipe Tips

How to get the best flavor? The most important tip is to use fresh, vibrant flat-leaf parsley. This is not a place for dried herbs; the fresh ingredients are what make the sauce come alive. A high-quality, peppery olive oil will also make a huge difference.
Why does the chop size matter? For a classic, rustic chimichurri texture, it’s best to finely chop the parsley and garlic by hand. This ensures the sauce has a pleasant texture where the individual ingredients are still distinct, rather than a smooth paste.
Why let the sauce rest? Do not skip this step! Letting the chimichurri rest for at least 20 minutes is a crucial step that allows the sharp, raw flavor of the garlic to mellow and all the other savory and tangy flavors to infuse into the oil, creating a more balanced sauce.
How can I customize the flavors? This is a great base recipe. As the notes suggest, you can easily adjust the amount of garlic and red pepper flakes to your taste. For a more authentic Argentinian flavor, you could use a mix of parsley and fresh oregano.

What To Serve With Chimichurri Sauce

Chimichurri is a classic accompaniment to grilled meats. It is the perfect, bright and acidic sauce to cut through the richness of:

Grilled steak (especially skirt steak, flank steak, or rib-eye)
Roasted or grilled chicken
Grilled pork chops or sausages
Roasted vegetables like potatoes, cauliflower, or bell peppers
Drizzled over fried or scrambled eggs

How To Store Chimichurri Sauce

Refrigerate: Store the chimichurri in an airtight container or a sealed jar in the refrigerator. For the best result and to keep the color vibrant, pour a thin layer of olive oil over the surface before sealing. It will keep for up to one week.
Serving from the fridge: Let the sauce sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before serving to allow the olive oil to liquefy and the flavors to wake up.

Chimichurri Sauce Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1 tablespoon
Calories: 65 kcal
Carbohydrates: 1g
Protein: 0g
Fat: 7g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Sodium: 150mg

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

FAQs

Is this sauce spicy?

As written, it has a very mild warmth from the red pepper flakes. It is not overwhelmingly spicy. You can easily adjust the heat level by increasing or omitting the red pepper flakes entirely.

Can I make this in a food processor?

You can, but it will change the texture. A food processor will create a much smoother, more uniform sauce, closer to a pesto. For a classic, rustic chimichurri with a more varied texture, chopping by hand is the preferred method.

What’s the difference between chimichurri and pesto?

While both are green, herb-based sauces, their flavor profiles are very different. Pesto is traditionally made with basil, pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese, giving it a creamy, nutty, and cheesy profile. Chimichurri is parsley and/or oregano-based, contains no nuts or cheese, and gets its signature tangy kick from vinegar, making it much brighter and more acidic.